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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Lack of regular jobs causes low birth rate

"The percentage of married male workers among non-regular workers (non full-time) is less than half that among regular workers." -- Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi said. Pointing out that the increase in the number of non-regular jobs is a major cause of the declining birth rate, he urged the government to take measures to increase regular job opportunities.

On behalf of the JCP, at the House of Councilors Plenary Session on January 25, Ichida showed findings by the Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training, an independent administrative agency.

According to the research, 34.7 percent of men of ages between 25-29 are married among regular workers and 14.8 percent among non-regular workers.

In the same age group, the percentage of married men with an annual income of more than 10 million yen is more than 70 percent. The percentage is 43.7 for those earn between 4 and 5 million yen, 35.6 percent for 3 million-4 million yen, and 15.3 percent for 1.49 million-1 million yen.

Japan's total fertility rate in 2004 was 1.29, the lowest ever. In FY 2005, the death rate became higher than the birth rate for the first time after the end of WWII.
- Akahata, January 26, 2006